After receiving top honors for the team's financial education seminars three of the last four years, the NFL Player Development Department awarded the New England Patriots with this year's Outstanding Overall Player Development Award. At the annual meetings last week, awards were given to the NFL Player Development departments in the areas of financial education, continuing education, career development and life skills, with the Outstanding Overall Player Development Award honoring the club that excels in programming in all four areas of player development.
In addition to their financial education, the NFL Player Development Department identified a few of the Patriots' recent initiatives as strengths of the program, including a safe boating program that was designed to raise awareness of risks after the boating tragedy that claimed the lives of two NFL players in the Gulf of Mexico last year. The team was also credited with their creative implementation of life skills training sessions. Boston Celtics Head Coach Doc Rivers was a guest speaker at one of the sessions this year.
Last year, the Patriots earned their second consecutive award for the financial development area of their program, which includes 14 detailed financial seminars for rookies and veterans.
During the 2010 regular season, an NFL representative will attend a Patriots home game to recognize the team's prestigious award with an on-field presentation.
